


Strawberry Red

by feelsandbooksandshit



Category: Original Work
Genre: (Except not for SH purposes), Blood and Injury, Cults, Gaslighting, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25144606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feelsandbooksandshit/pseuds/feelsandbooksandshit
Summary: [Annabelle was grabbing strawberries from the fridge as she heard someone talk to her. "Why did you question him?"Turning around to face them, she responded, "Pardon?""You had no right," They continued. "You'll never be on his level. Just stay in your place."]Despite being in a cult, Annabelle thinks her own thoughts and makes her own plan.
Kudos: 2





	Strawberry Red

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warnings:  
> Cults  
> Graphic descriptions of bleeding and self harm (without SH intentions). To skip, ignore the TWO MIDDLE paragraphs of the second section. To skip even implied self harm, skip the entire second section.  
> There is also slight gaslighting from the cult members and leader.  
> Stay safe!
> 
> Slightly inspired by a comic/tiktok by the tiktok user @angel_tsubaki_07 (and the song 64 Little White Things by Cake Bake Betty in general)

The patrons didn't consider The Savior a mean man. He told everyone that he would heal them, that they needed him to protect them, that their purpose in the world was to help him, and they knew he was right. Many of them had left their old lives behind to be taken under his wing, including Annabelle. This was her meaning. ...But when he spoke of his plans for former members, Annabelle's faith in him halted for a moment.

"They want to hurt us. They will tell Them about us. Our community will be destroyed. We won't be able to save anyone if the traitors walk freely," He'd started. The thought of their plans crumbling terrified Annabelle, she couldn't imagine a world without the family she had there. She believed she would do anything to make sure they didn't get destroyed, but his words were followed with, "They can't survive," and Annabelle was thrown for a loop. His expression had become fierce. "Anyone caught leaving our family will have to be punished."

"Punished?" A patron near Annabelle murmured.

"...Like, killed?" Another said.

"We have to ensure our safety. It's a sacrifice we have to make." The Savior's tone left no room for argument, so everyone nodded solemnly and stayed silent.

Except Annabelle. "We can't kill others," It was clear in her voice that she was bewildered.

"Excuse me?" Annabelle saw that he was now staring at her with squinted eyes.

"That's murder! Maybe they don't agree with us anymore, but-"

"Are you stupid?" He responded, coldly. Walking directly to her, The Savior continued, "Or are you deaf? Either way, you're acting like a disgrace. Did you hear me at all?" Annabelle stared at him in shock. The Savior rarely spoke in anything but a soft or at least calm voice. Now, he was harsh and blunt. "Someone remind Anna of what I just explained. Slowly, so her brain can understand." Turning and walking away, he called out to everyone, "It's final. Former members will be eliminated. We can't take any risks."

As a few patrons started to talk to Annabelle, she tried to brush them off, but they pleaded with her to stay until they finished. They wanted to 'heal her from the pain of forcing The Savior to act so coldly.' After they finished, they asked her if she understood. Nodding, she thanked them and walked away, heading to the kitchen to prepare her apology. Someone followed her in.

Annabelle was grabbing strawberries from the fridge as she heard someone talk to her. "Why did you question him?"

Turning around to face them, she responded, "Pardon?"

"You had no right," They continued. "You'll never be on his level. Just stay in your place." Before Annabelle could respond, they pushed through the kitchen door again, leaving her alone.

Annabelle was confused. She wanted to heal everyone as much as The Savior did. She'd witnessed the pain that people go through, and she was just as determined to end that suffering as he was. Yet, she wasn't equal to him in any way? That didn't sit right with her. While thinking, Annabelle gathered more ingredients.

* * *

The strawberries were finished pureeing. The sight of the red mush that sat in the mixing bowl made Annabelle smile, her vision already blurring at the edges before she’d even grabbed the knife. Going to the knife block, she lifted them one at a time, putting each to her finger tip to check how sharp each was. When she found one sharp enough, she took it and walked back to the bowl. She rested her left arm on it, centering a spot right over the puree.

Without thinking about it too much, Annabelle quickly sliced the skin. She gritted her teeth, her eyes zoning out at the sight of the first drops on blood falling. Even with blurred vision, she could see the slightly darker blur of the blood compared to the pinkish strawberry mix. Blinking, she set the knife down on the counter and reached over with her right hand to squeeze the skin near the cut, trying to get the blood to come out faster. There was a pool of blood in the bowl now, each drop spreading it out further. To Annabelle’s dismay, the blood was starting to clot. Using her right hand, she reached over to a spatula and put it to the cut, trying to push off the coagulated clump of blood off and hopefully get rid of the clot. Annabelle winced and sucked in air through her teeth, the fresh wound flaring up more painfully because of the proding. It worked though, as new drops started falling.

Putting the spatula inside the bowl, she rested her head on her upper left arm, far away from the cut. She closed her eyes for a few moments to take a break once her head started spinning. Annabelle could feel the affected area pulsing, probably from her heart pumping the blood to it, and the feeling was simultaneously discomforting and calming. Once the pulsing died down, she opened her eyes again. The blood was clotted again, but she just picked up a paper towel and wiped excess blood off, holding it to her arm as she walked to a cupboard to grab a thick band-aid. After cleaning the cut and putting the band-aid on, Annabelle continued as normal, walking back to the mixing bowl.

Using the bloody spatula, she mixed the blood in by hand, folding it into the puree until she stopped seeing crimson streaks. There was a bowl of other ingredients already prepared, so she grabbed it and poured it in with the strawberries before slipping the mixing bowl back into the stand mixer slot and turning it on. With the sound of the whisk in the background, she prepared more supplies to finish the cake.

As Annabelle looked for another small bowl, she noticed a bottle in the cupboard. The sight of it got the gears turning in her head, and she grabbed it.

* * *

The Savior sat at the table alone. Holding the decorated two-tiered cake in one hand, Annabelle knocked on the doorframe. He looked up at her, smiling without it reaching his eyes.

“Annabelle."

"Sir," She tilted her head to him, smiling. She showed him her strawberry cake. "I want to apologize."

Looking at the 'gift,' The Savior replied, "Oh Anna, it's alright." As Annabelle held the cake in front of her, he stood and walked to her. "If you hadn't said that, I wouldn't have had to yell. I don't want to be the bad guy, but you and the others push me to be one." Reaching out, he placed his hands on hers. "Still, I understand. You're simply flawed, like everyone else."

"Except you," Annabelle smiled before becoming somber, looking at the cake. "I'm sorry. I made this for you. Please forgive me."

Letting go of Annabelle's hands, The Savior took the cake from her and set it on the table.

"I'll go get cutlery and a plate from the kitchen."

"Please, grab two plates." He smiled at her. "I wouldn't want you to miss out." Nodding, she walked off.

When she got back, she set a cutting knife on the table next to it, not wanting to point a knife at him. He nodded to her, cutting a slice and setting it on one of the plates.

"Ladies first," He said, getting a slice for himself as well before walking back to his seat and setting the plate in front of him. He didn't move to eat it.

"Thank you." Still standing, Annabelle grabbed her fork and took a large piece from the bottom tier. She didn't hesitate to bring it to her mouth, eating a bite blissfully. As she put her fork back to the bottom tier, The Savior felt safe enough to grab his own plate.

Taking a piece that had both tiers in one bite, he let himself indulge in the cake. The two of them engaged in pleasant conversation as he finished his piece.

It only took him a few minutes to notice that Annabelle was only eating half of her piece.

"Are you going to finish eating?" He asked, pushing his own plate away from himself and sitting up slightly in his chair. Annabelle shook her head. "Why not?"

Setting her own plate down on the table, she murmured, "You're not good for us."

"Excuse me?"

She kept shaking her head as she said, "You hurt us. We're supposed to heal."

The Savior stood up violently, rattling the table. "What did you do?"

"You deserve it." Hugging herself, Annabelle appeared to be reaffirming it to herself more than telling him. "You were gonna kill other people."

"What did you do, bitch?!" As he tried to lunge himself at her, The Savior fell to the ground. One hand held his forehead while his other held his chest.

"Trying to fight... is useless." The Savior stared at her, unable to catch his breath. "It's cyanide."

Lifting his hand from his head, he tried to reach out to Annabelle, but she just took a single step backwards. He pounded his fist on the ground, glaring at her as he blinked fast.

"If it makes you feel any better..." She lifted her sleeve, showing him the band-aid. "...You also ate me! So... we're together..." His hands started shaking, and Annabelle came closer, kneeling near him. "Since I'm a part of you now, we're equal. Only I can replace you now, right?"

It seemed as though he was about to respond, but seizures quickly took a hold of his body. Annabelle stood once more, leaning over his conflusing body to grab his plate. She brought the dishes into the kitchen, throwing the rest of the cake into the trash. Before starting to wash the dishes, she walked back to the room to see that The Savior had stopped moving. His eyes were open, staring, but he was motionless.

Annabelle took a deep breath before sighing heavily and walking to the corpse. As she shut his eyes, she whispered, "I'll help them now. I'll help everyone."


End file.
